Construction for vehicle bodies



- March 24, 1925. v1,530,626

A, G. STEINMETZ CONSTRUCTION FOR VEHCLE BODIES Filed Aug. 14 '1923 Patented Mar. 24, 19,25.

'stood from the UNITED STATES PATENT y 1.530,62@ OFFICE.

AUGUST G. STEINMETZ, 0F BOSTON', MASSACHUSETTS.

CONSTRUCTION FOR VEHICLE BODIZES.` A

Application ined August 14, 1923.

To all w/iom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, AUGUST G. STEINMETZ, citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachuset ts, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Construction for Vehicle Bodies, of which the following is a: specification.

This invention has to do with a construction for motor vehicle bodies', itlbeing particularly suited for application to the bodies of pleasure cars.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, effective construction for automobile bodies which allows for ventilation of the bodies, and for circulation of air in the bodies so that they may be kept cool.

Another object of this invention is to provide a construction of the character above specified which does not interfere with the lines of the body or which does not render the body unsightly.

Another object of this invention is to providea construction such as l have above specified which embodies means for regulating or cutting of? the ventilation or circula# tion of air so that the body may be'maintained at the desired temperature.

Another object of this invention is to provide a construction of the. character l have referred to which may be applied to bodies of ordinary construction, without changing any parts or may be applied to bodies of ordinary construction by changing or replacingr certain pars.

"lhe various bjects and features of xny invention will be best and more fully under- I following detailed descrip'- tion of a typical preferred form and appli cation thereof, throughout which description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a typical pleasure niotorcar of the touring type, the body of said vehicle, einbi'idying iny present inven tion. .j

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail plan section, taken as indicated by the line 2-2 on Fig. l, showing the Ventilating openings provided byliny invention closed;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the Ventilating openings open; and Fig. 4 is a vertical detail sectional view, taken as indicated by the line 4.-* 41 on Fig. 3. lin accordance with the broader aspects 0f my invention it is applicable to motor seriai No'. 657,370.

vehicle bodies of variousstyles and types. For the purpose of facilitating a clear and full understanding of my' invention I have chosen to describe it as applied to an open inotor vehicle, the particular body referred to being of the illustrated in the drawings includes a bod 10; supporting wheels l1, for the body lo; and various other devices and parts couinion to machines of this general character. The body 10 being ofthe touring type includes a niain portion lil, into which are built suitable seats 13, and doors 1st hinged to the main part 12. The construction provided by my invention is applicable to various portions of the. main part of the body as well as to the doors 14. In the following description l will refer to niy construction as being embodied in or applied to a door of the body, it being understood, of course, that the construction described isy likewise applicable to various portions of the main part 12. In the particular form of construction that l have illustrated, each door includes a face or panel .16, carried on a suitable traine 15. The frame 15 includes upper and lower hori' zontal parts 17, and vertical end parts 18. The frame and panel are, of course, designed and proportioned to tit and properly conform with the other parts of the body. `The panel 16 is, in accordance with standard practice, formed of sheet metal, whereas, the

frame is constructed of wood, ortho like.

In accordance with iny invention l provide the panels 16 tilating openings in ordinaryl situations arranged vertically, cally, uniform Width, will be obvious,

the form off-lots 19.' lnthe slots are preferably and are evenly spaced. lt however, that these factors may be varied in particular cases to suit cir cuinstances, for instance, to conform to the design and construction Vof the body. The slots 19 are preferably con'lparatively lont:

touring type. rllhe vehicleor substantially vertiare straight and are of substantially' tio Qii

with a plurality of vcny ico y and there are preferably enough of them to extend substantially the entire width of the panel. In construction the slots may be formed. by cutting or slitting the panel in the desired manner, and the edges of the slots maybe finished by turningV the cutl edges inwardly or back, as 'l have clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 ofthe drawings. It will be obvious that the slots 19l formed m the panel, as I have illustrated in the draw with the slots.

ings, allor.' air lo pass through the door so that the body is ventilated and so that thev air in the body is kept vin circulation.

My invention provides closures 20 for the slots, so that the passage ot' air through the panel may be'varied or cut off as may be desired. The closure 2O may be in the Jform of flat strips ot material, for instance, sheet metal, sntlicicntly wide so that they can be positioned to extend completely across and close the slots. The closures 20 are mounted on a carrier 2l, which is mounted in the itranie ot the door. so that it can be moved to move the closures into and out of register `When the slots 19 are vertically disposed vthe carrier 21 is mounted in the door so that it is movable horizontally. I have illustrated the carrier slidably mounted in suitable gnideways 22, provided in the horizontal frame paris 17.

4My invention provides means 23 for actuating the carrier 21. This means may include a. screw 24, held by a bracket 25 secured to one ot the vertical frame parts 18, having a screw threaded engagement with a suitable part ot the carrier. In the construction. illustrated in the drawings the screw 24 is provided with a head 26 which is rotatably 4carried by the bracket 25. The screw projects from the bracket and screw threads through a part of the carrier so that it causes movementot the carrier when rotated. A suitable hand wheel 27 is provided on the screw 24 so that it can be conveniently operated or rotated.

In practice it is desirable to provide suitable padding or packing between the panel 1G and closures 20 for the purpose of preventing rattling between 'these parts, and tomake the construction tight and weatherproof when the closures are in position' to close the slots. 4Suitable padding, for instance, telt or rubber, may be arranged at the inner side of the panel 16 so that it willl p revcnt thc closures 20 from contacting with the panel. The packing 30 may be in the forni of si rips held in place by the inwardly turned edge port-ions olv the slots, as I have clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. y

In employing my invention it may, as I have hereinbeforc described, be applied to various parts of the body. The invention may be advantageously applied to the doors of the body and may beV providedv inthe doors at the time they are manufactured or may be applied tothe doors after they have been manufactured. In practice, a person wishing to employ my invention in seasons when his v'hicle requires ventilation, may have doors provided with my invention that can be apphed to his vehicle in place of the ordinary doors. It will be obvious from the foregoing description how my invention provides a construction which allows for etfective ventilation and circulation of air in the body of the-vehicle, and how it provides for regulation of the ventilation and circulation to suit circumstances. To regulate the amount of circulation or ventilation it is merely necessary to rotate the hand wheel 27 to move the carrier 21 so that the closures are in the desired positions with relation to the slots. The carrier can be positioned where the closure cuts oil' the slots, as illustrated in Fig. 2, or where the slots are completely open,'as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Having described only atypical preferred form of my invention I do not wish to limit myself to the specific details hereinabove set forth but wish to reserve to myseltI any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art or tall within the vscope of the following claims.

Having described my invention,` I claim:

1. In a vehicle body, a panel having 'a plurality of ventilation slots, closures for the slots, a carrier for the closures, and a screw operable to move the carrier to operate the closures relative to the slots.

2. In a vehicle body, a panel having a plurality of ventilation slots, closure` strips for the slots at the inner side of the panel movable paralled to the plane otl the panel to regulate the slots, and pads between the panel and closure strips.

3. In a vehicle body, a panel having a series of parallel vertical ventilation slots, closure strips for the slots located at the inner side of the planel, a carrier for the closure strips movable parallel to the plane of the panel in a direction transverse ot the slots, 'screw means operable to move the carrier, and pads between the panel and closure strips.

4. In a vehicle body, a panel having a plurality of ventilation slots, having turned edges, closure strips for the slots at the, inner sideotl the panel movable parallel to the plane of the panel 'to regulate the slots, and pads between the panel and closure strips.

5. In a vehicle body,.a frame, a panel carried bythe frame and having a plurality of slots in it, closures for the slots, a carrier for the closures slidably mounted in the frame, and a screw rotatably carried by the `frameand engaging the carrier to operate it. l

In witness that I 'claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of July 1923.

AUGUST G. STEINMETZ.

, Witness: LELAND M. CHUTE. 

